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Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Dal Bhat - Pokhara

Dal Bhat

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Pokhara is a small Nepalese city tucked into the foothills of the Annapurna range of the Himalayas. Things, including time, move slowly here. Cars are not yet a problem, television transmission is intermittent and the air is fresh and clear. While the area tries to keep a low profile, 100,000 travelers arrive here every year. The city is a mecca for climbers and trekkers who account for 80% of its visitors. The area is also a retirement haven for Gurkha officers whose presence, coincidentally, keeps the crime rate low and the economy healthy. Those who come are charmed and pampered. Many stay. Hence, I can happily report it is possible to get fabulous pizza in the foothills of the Himalayas. The old city is much like the Kathmandu of my imagination, but accommodations are first-rate and are a welcoming place to train for, or recover from, strenuous outdoor activity. Part of the daily panoply is watching helicopters evacuate trekkers who have underestimated the toll that altitude will take on their bodies. Most recover poolside and still have the time of their life. I was completely charmed by Pokhara and its residents. If you are lured by the unusual and enjoy back roads and byways, Pokhara will enchant you as well.

In Nepal there's a entree called a Nepali set. It is an assortment of dishes arranged on a plate especially designed to feature each component of the meal. I'd like to take you through those components a step at a time and, today, we'll start with the two most basic elements of the dish. Rice and lentil are the staples of the Nepali people. They are eaten twice a day in a dish that's called Dal Bhat. The dish may be supplemented with curried vegetables, called Tarkari and pickles, but rice and lentils are always part of the meal. They will also appear on our expanded versions of the Nepali set that we'll build a step at a time. Here is the recipe for the rice and lentils that form the base of the Nepalese diet.

Directions:1) To prepare rice: Wash rice and soak for 5 minutes. Boil the rice over medium heat for about 10 -15 minutes. Stir once thoroughly. Add butter. Turn the heat to low and cook, covered, for 5 more minutes until done2) To prepare lentils: Wash lentils and soak lentil for 10 minutes. Remove anything that floats and drain. Place lentil in fresh water and bring to a boil. Add all spices. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 20 to 30 minutes until lentils are soft and have the consistency of oatmeal. In a small pan, heat remaining butter and fry onions, chilies and garlic. Stir into lentils a few minutes before you stop boiling. Serve with rice.

56 comments
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MAry...thank you for the reportage of your trip ....you make me travel with you!!Thank you so much... tomorrow I will translate in english every recipe I'm going to post on my blog...so...from now... sorry for my grammar mistakes...ciao and blessings

The snow covered mountains are breathtaking! I enjoyed visiting Shangri-Lla with you this morning. Coincidentally, I am planning a pot of lentils today. Instead of the usual, I'll use your recipe sans ginger paste which isn't currently in the pantry.

Mary, u enjoyed India totally and thoroughly, and u make see India sooo beautifully , totally !!I love how u connect each post of the place and food together!I love traveling there with u,imagine u relishing this and thinking ,boy she really did make the best despite the hiccups!!Love this Dal Bhat, have heard about it too!

I've been considering lentils today! But it is not the lentils that draw me in - oh those Himalayas - what sights you have seen. How much you can appreciate! (And love that there's a pizzeria - how fun).

The photos are stunning! I think Pokhara sounds like my type of place to want to visit. First rate accomodations and all that beauty and a slower pace of life- sounds delightful. I'm sure the lentils are too.

Just the name 'Dal Bhat' brought a smile to my face... its a staple for us folks... dad has eaten it for lunch every single day for the last forty odd years :) I cannot deny I was a little jealous as well... lol... I was born there but you have seen more of India than I have so far.

Mary, I have just had a most enjoyable time reading through your recent posts on your travels, the people, scenery, food. I can only try to imagine what a wonderful trip and experience you and Bob had. Thank you for sharing this with us, and hope all is healed. ;)

You remind me of my experiences. I am a mountain girl really, when I see the mountains I feel good, i need to go up a little... I remember the planes in India, the heat, smells, noise, colours... then we moved to the Himalaya and i felt better. Even the poverty looked different in the mountains, I supposed that it is too cold to sleep out in the streets at night, mountain people needs to be more inventive, make a constant effort, leaving on alms alone would not be possible there. And then in Nepal also, the country is much poorer than India, and yet the poverty doesn't look the same in the eyes of the visitors.

Nepal sounds like such an interesting place! A little of this, a little of that. I am so excited to learn more about the culture since I truly don't know anything about it, and what better way than through food!

Mary- Thank you for sharing your pictures. I feel like you can sense the calmness and serenity of Pokhara. It looks like my dreams:) My two children have been quite the handful lately and I would be more than happy if someone could drop me off in the center of town where I would happily eat rice and lentils for weeks or more....

As everyone has already said...thank you so much for sharing your trip! It sounds like you saw some breathtaking sites, and experienced some amazing food and people. I love learning about how different cultures eat, and so I found this post particularly intriguing. I love lentils, and now I have a new recipe to try. Thank you for sharing. I hope the rest of your week is beautiful!

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